Angela Bassett to Receive Excellence Award at ABFF Honors for ‘Fearless’ Performances

Angela Bassett will soon add an award for career excellence to her growing list of achievements.

Known for her performances in a range of roles from daytime drama Ryan’s Hope, to Oscar-nominated turns in What’s Love Got to Do With It and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the actress, producer and director will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award at the 8th American Black Film Festival ABFF Honors.

Presented by NICE CROWD, the awards take place next month in Beverly Hills.

“Angela Bassett is the embodiment of excellence,” NICE CROWD CEO and President Jeff Friday and Nicole Friday said in a joint statement Thursday.

“Her body of work is both extraordinary and enduring, defined by performances that are fearless, powerful, and deeply human. She has set a standard for artistic integrity and cultural impact that continues to inspire generations,” the statement continued.

The Excellence in the Arts Award recognizes “a highly acclaimed artist for their body of work and distinguished career achievements.”

Bassett currently stars in and executive produces the ABC emergency series 9-1-1, and earned her first Emmy Award for outstanding narrator for the NatGeo docuseries Queens.

She also recently had roles in the Netflix limited series Zero Day and the blockbuster film Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

The ABFF recognition is the latest honor for Bassett after receiving an honorary Oscar in 2024, a Spotlight Award from Hollywood’s Costume Designers Guild in 2023, and picking up the Montecito Award for contributions to cinema at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film (SBIFF) in Santa Barbara, Calif.

We were at SBIFF when Bassett discussed her career defining roles, including playing Reva in Boyz n the Hood (1991); Bernadine in Waiting to Exhale (1995); Stella in How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998); and Lena in South African drama Boesman and Lena (2000).

She said working on the Black Panther franchise with director Ryan Coogler was career-defining.

“He truly could have chosen anyone to take on the role of Queen Ramonda, but I am blessed that he chose me,” Bassett said about Coogler. “I will always treasure the magic that Ryan and Chadwick Boseman led us toward in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

Perhaps she’ll share more gems at the ABFF Honors.

This year’s previously announced honorees include The Smashing Machine star Dwayne Johnson, who will receive the Entertainment Icon Award. The Jennifer Hudson Show host Jennifer Hudson will pick up the Renaissance Award, director and executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield will be honored with the Evolution Award, and F1: The Movie actor Damson Idris will get the Horizon Award.

The 2026 ABFF Honors take place on Monday, Feb. 16 in Beverly Hills, CA.